3rd International Conference on Religion and Spirituality in Society

Today's guest post comes from Richard Kent Evans, a graduate student in the Department of History at Texas Tech University.
The Third International Conference on Religion and
Spirituality in Society recently took place on the campus of Arizona State
University. As that’s my (relative) neck of the woods, I decided to attend.
About one hundred scholars, skeptics, and believers (and interesting
combinations thereof) were in attendance, representing thirty-two countries. Three
presentations stood out to me, and they should be of interest to historians of
American religion.

Michael York, a PhD candidate in Communication and Culture
at York and Ryerson Universities in Ontario is working on the Ex-Gay Movement,
specifically Exodus International and NARTH. Interestingly, Michael has access
to former participants who provide insight into the inner-workings of these
organizations. Michael’s dissertation should add to the growing interest in the
Religious Right.

Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox of The Schechter Institute in
Jerusalem is working on a sociological study of orthodox Rabbis who have
abandoned their faith. Many of these Rabbis are still leading congregations,
because, as Paul put it, “they have no marketable skills.” Beyond the practical
reasons, however, Dr. Shrell-Fox’s study is a fascinating glance into the
centrality of the Rabbi within orthodox communities and families. “When a
prayer requires a quorum of ten,” Paul said, “these Rabbis always make sure
they are the eleventh.”

Michael Horka, a graduate student in American Studies at
George Washington University is working on the relationship between gay
Catholics and the church by looking at Dignity, a Catholic group made up mostly
of openly gay men. Beginning in 1986, the church banned Dignity from operating
on church property. Michael argues that the church effectively separated
Dignity from “closeted” priests in a “grasp at sociopolitical legitimacy
through heteronormativity.”

The Third International Conference on Religion and
Spirituality in Society featured three spectacular keynote addresses.

Dr. Tracy Fessenden of Arizona State University spoke about
the emergence of spirituality as a legitimate object of study. She remarked
that her department receives an inordinate amount of graduate study
applications that are marked “Spiritual Seeker.” In past years, this meant
rejection. Not anymore.

Dr. Mohammad Khalil of Michigan State University spoke about
Islamic perceptions of non-Muslims through the thought of medieval Muslim
theologians. It turns out, the question of salvation of non-Muslims has
preoccupied Muslims for longer than we thought.

Dr. Norbert Samuelson of Arizona State University is working
on a new book in which he examines the relationship between religion and
science by looking at evolving conceptions of light from Genesis 1:3 to the
Enlightenment. It sounds fascinating.

The Fourth International Conference on Religion and
Spirituality in Society will be held April 29 – 30, 2014 in Heredia, Costa
Rica. It was a fascinating gathering and a great opportunity to “zoom out” and
think about religion from a broader perspective. Plus, it’s a great excuse to
be in Costa Rica next spring. Check out www.ReligionInSociety.com if you’re
interested in learning more about the conference.